What is SharePoint?

Organizations use SharePoint to create websites. You can use it as a secure place to store, organize, share, and access information from any device. All you need is a web browser, such as Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Chrome, or Firefox. Want to learn more? Get started with SharePoint.

Take a look at the latest version of SharePoint. When you create a new team site, this is what you’ll see.

SharePoint Online

SharePoint Server 2016

What is SharePoint Online?

SharePoint products and downloads

"SharePoint" can refer to one or more SharePoint products or technologies, including:

SharePoint Online A cloud-based service, hosted by Microsoft, for businesses of all sizes. Instead of installing and deploying SharePoint Server on-premises, any business can subscribe to an Office 365 plan or to the standalone SharePoint Online service. Your employees can create sites to share documents and information with colleagues, partners, and customers. To get started storing your files on your team site, see Set up Office 365 file storage and sharing. Give Office 365 a try.

SharePoint Server Organizations can deploy and manage SharePoint Server on-premises. It includes all the features of SharePoint Foundation. And it offers additional features and capabilities, such as Enterprise Content Management, business intelligence, enterprise search, personal sites, and Newsfeed. Give SharePoint Server 2016 a try.

SharePoint Foundation No longer available separately for the SharePoint 2016 release, SharePoint Foundation was the underlying technology for all SharePoint sites. SharePoint Foundation (formerly Windows SharePoint Services) is free for on-premises deployment. You can use SharePoint Foundation to create many types of sites where you can collaborate on webpages, documents, lists, calendars, and data. Download SharePoint Foundation 2013.

SharePoint Designer 2013 A free program last released in 2013. Used to build powerful, workflow-enabled solutions. And used to edit external content types for an external data solution based on Business Connectivity Services. Download SharePoint Designer 2013.

OneDrive for Business sync A desktop program that you can use to sync documents from a team site or OneDrive for Business to your computer for offline use. Learn more about OneDrive for Business.